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| The 16th Century and the Early Days |
| of the Fur Trade |
Contact!
Primarily because of the fur trade, the 16th century saw the first and historically decisive encounter between the Amerindian and European cultures.
Several aboriginal groups, mostly members of the Algonquin family, took part in this important trade activity. At the mouth of the Saguenay, the Tadoussac, a Montagnais tribe, were the main partners of the Europeans. Further north, in the area around Chicoutimi and Lac Saint-Jean, the Kakouchac, another Montagnais tribe, acted as intermediaries for the Attikamek, the Algonquin and the Cree.
The north shore of the St. Lawrence was occupied notably by the Betsiamite, and the Papinachois. On the south shore, the Montagnais were in contact with the Mi’kmaq and the Etchemin.
By the end of the 16th and into the early 17th century, the mouth of the Saguenay had become a veritable cultural hub – and Tadoussac, the largest fur trade centre in North America. |
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